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31 luglio Ford sells a few...Richard Aucock writes... Sometimes, it takes just a quick e-mail to really put things into perspective. I’m currently researching a few pieces, for which I needed Ford’s annual sales figures. Which are thus: last year, the blue oval, in the UK, sold 956 cars – every single day. Nearly 40 people an hour signed on the dotted line to take delivery of a new Ford.
That’s more than a third of a million cars in total. Which really is staggering. Ford, not just Alesha Dixon, obviously has been singing about the fact…
And until the end of June this year, the company has sold another 185,324 models. Such numbers really do take some getting your head around (by the time you’ve finished watching, say, Eastenders, they’ll have shifted nearly 20 cars). As a huge chunk of those were Fiesta sales (102k in 2007, 51k so far this year), it underlines the fact that the most significant Brit debutant at the British International Motor Show, the one that will become a part of most people’s lives, may well have been Ford’s all-new supermini.
But it’s Focus sales that really opened our eyes. 118k in 07, nearly 62k thus far in 08 – of which, over 8000 were sub-120g/km CO2 1.6 TDCi variants. Indeed, sales of these Focus are 41 per cent up so far in 2008. Significance? They are, in many official’s eyes, low CO2 cars. They get a preferential rate for company car tax, almost enjoyed free Congestion Charge before Boris stopped it…*
No wonder the company is so proud of its calculation that a 2 per cent cut in Focus emissions gives more of a CO2 reduction than all the hybrids sold in the UK put together. When you look at the numbers involved, it’s not hard to see why such gains can have such an effect…
* And we know, the image is not of a TDCi Focus – but, you must admit, it’s a great shot of a Focus. Which is ‘jumping for joy’? Sorry… --- Links: ECOnetic air conditioning day dreams
Clio meets its match?
Dan Trent writes: It’s no secret I’m a bit lovestruck by my Clio Cup long termer. But I’m not so blinkered as to admit there might, just possibly, be faster hot hatches out there. But better? That’s a harder sell. The 888-tuned Corsa VXAAAAAARGH! we had in the other week had me worried though. It had bright red paint for a start. And a big turbo. And an exhaust that went ‘Ba-ba-BANG!’ every time you changed gear. Everything’s relative of course but next to the shouty little Vauxhall even my souped up Clio looked distinctly plain.
Pic by CJ Time to put it to the test on the road. CJ and I had to get to Ford at Dagenham, both cars were available and my favourite back-route home would take us pretty much to the door. Game on! I jumped into the VXR, CJ into the Clio and we were off, ready to raise hell on the roads of Hertfordshire. Just as well the Corsa’s exhaust was loud enough to drown out the tutting from everyone we passed… The Corsa’s shouty nature carries through to the Halfords-spec interior too. It’s relentless! But I had to confess, fancy Recaros apart, the Clio’s all-grey interior looked very dull in comparison. Not sure I could live with the VXR’s chromed plastic long term though.
Thing is, for all the noise, drama and relentless thrust CJ didn’t seem to be working too hard to keep the Clio glued to the Corsa’s bumper either. With around 217bhp the VXR comfortably outguns the Clio to the tune of more than 20bhp. And against the turbocharged thrust of the Corsa you’d expect the peaky, normally aspirated Clio to struggle, even given its 2-litre capacity. But power’s no good unless you can use it and the Corsa’s slightly vague steering meant I was nowhere near as confident about my grip levels as I knew CJ would be in the Clio. The gearshift was nowhere near as fast or positive either. Able to get on the power earlier, he was just about hitting the Cup’s 5000rpm-plus sweet spot as I was feeding in the power on the Corsa. Crude and amusing in small doses the VXR is very, very fast and proof of quite how hardcore hot hatches have become. But the beautifully honed Clio feels so much more satisfying to push hard, and is ultimately faster as a result. An exhaust that goes bang would be nice though… Dan Links:
VXR assists with speedy takeaway delivery
29 luglio Excess all areas: the Audi TTScj hubbard writes:
All pictures by Dan. It's taken all week, but I finally feel like I've 'got' this car. The Audi TTS is an undeniably accomplished piece of automotive machinery, but it can also prove to be strangely unsatisfying to drive quickly - not exactly what you'd expect of a lightweight four-wheel drive sportscar with a 268bhp 2.0-litre turbo under the bonnet. The thing is it's really not that much like other TTs (small s); getting that much energy out of that little engine capacity lends this car a high performance feel that is less 'mainstream', more 'modified' in nature. The turbocharging is overt now, rather than subtle, to the point where you have to make your gearchanges just so - and quickly - or all forward momentum feels forced where you're expecting the ruthlessly relentless.
Perhaps the engine in our roadster TTS still had a little loosening up to do. But doubtless, much of the appeal of the S tronic twin-clutch semi auto gearbox option must be in the immediacy of its gear shifting - the manual six-speeder we tested had a firm mechanical action, but not an especially swift one. Get it right and the accelerative experience was genuinely immense, backing-tracked by the exhaust's bassy-blare and the turbo's high-frequency buzz - like elevened-up amplifier noise, vibrating on just the edge of hearing. Get it wrong, and you were left thinking: why isn't this thing faster? No question of the quality of the upgrades, nor their endurance. But somehow it isn't very Audi. Not so much suave and sophisticated, more steroidal countered by iron-willed control (even amped up, little upsets this car's quattro chassis). It's rude in a way Audi simply isn't.
I guess this much ought to be obvious from its appearance, which sacrifices the purity of the second generation TT's lines on the altar of added sideskirts, deeper air dams, and quadruple exhausts. This profusion of additional detailing has a surprisingly profound impact on the car's visual character. Add all this together, and the TTS gets an unexpected level of on-road respect. A guy driving a regular TT roadster will inevitably have to man-up and face facts - you must anticipate a certain level of, shall we say, flack...
In the TTS this simply does not happen - or at least, it didn't happen to me.* I don't know whether it is just the appearance, the noise, and the evident performance, or whether people actually recognise the TTS and know what it is and what that capital S means in the engine department. Or perhaps it's just that carheads have read and understood that the TT 2 is a genuinely decent driver's tool, and not the mobile sculpture and posing pouch the original represented. (Harsh? Only if you think so...) Everywhere I went in this car I got nothing but compliments and approval - even if it has to be said most of this came from the yoof in their Clios and 3 Series. A TT that's down with the kids? Apparently so.
It's gone now - replaced by the RS6 we're videoing on Thursday. Look out for Dan's road test soon.
*Dan on the other hand... But maybe that's a reflection of the more competitive nature of his driving style. ;-) --- Links: A very quick drive in the Audi TTS
28 luglio Ahead of schedule on the 911 launchIan writes... It's not often a flight is on time. But to be ahead of schedule is practically unheard of. Unless you're running on German timetables... I'm out in Berlin at the moment on the launch of the 'new' Porsche 911 four-wheel-drive, and that's just what happened. We flew on a charter from Farnborough in Hampshire, and with everyone on time and ready to go, the plane was able to take off 20 minutes early. You don't get that at Heathrow! The pilot wasn't shy of using the throttle, either, and we landed 1hr 30mins before we should have on a fairly large military/commercial base on the outskirts of Berlin. So getting here early is a good thing, right? Not so. We're so ahead of schedule that there are no cars for us to drive yet, so there's a large group of UK journos milling around getting hot and bothered as they wait for the cars to arrive. The cars are due to arrive in the next 30 minutes, but I've got my name down for one because as sometimes happens on these events, there are often not enough cars to meet the demand! Porsche wants the cars back by 18:30 local time, so I'll hopefully get a couple of hours' driving. Tomorrow we're off to a dynamic test track to try the car out on various handling circuits, so there will only be an hour's worth of road driving then. I can't wait to test Porsche's new PDK double-clutch gearbox, which replaces the Tiptronic S transmission, and promises faster acceleration, better economy and improved emissions. I've heard a lot of good things about it. Come back to the site later this week for the full review of the 4wd 911. But until then, read Peter's First Drive of the rear-wheel-drive 911 from a few weeks' back. What's your favourite Porsche? Not so Zoom Zoom now...
Dan Trent writes: I thought I’d done alright on the Zoom Zoom Challenge. Emerging blinking into the sunshine after a couple of days in our windowless (but thankfully air conditioned) motor show nerve centre, the Mazda driving event was a welcome break and I have to admit returning to our office somewhat full of myself. Pride before a fall? Well, my time wasn’t just beaten, it was destroyed. And by one of our own too – Paul Musselle from our friends at the video production company. That’s his voice on the video top 10s, by the way. Anyway, I should have guessed from the size of his grin he’d bettered my 20:57sec. I expected a couple of tenths maybe but when he broke the news he’d done a 19:68 I was distraught. Nearly a whole second!
Desperately looking for excuses I interrogated him on how he’d managed it. And, thankfully, he let slip his secret. Now, punters on the event are required by the rules to short-shift into second gear just a few metres over the startline – probably to stop people launching themselves into the nearby Victoria Dock. But because Paul was there filming and therefore not officially participating he was allowed to redline it in first before shifting up. There’s a few tenths without even trying! Oh, then there’s the fact Paul’s had a fair amount of race experience too. Excellent, those excuses just keep piling on up…
There’s now an online leaderboard so if you’ve had a go yourself make sure you drop by to see how you’re doing. It’s based on your overall score (including ‘Zoom Zoom Attitude’) and doesn’t include lap times but you can at least see if you’re in with a shout of winning a Mazda 2 for the year. I was at least on the front page of the results on Friday but it since the weekend I’ve dropped to 50th. Hmm. Probably the fact there’s more rubber down on the course means times are tumbling. Yes, that’ll be it. I knew I should have worn my wannabe racing driver bootees too, those thick soled boots I was wearing must have robbed me of valuable pedal feel and therefore at least half a second or so. Now I think about it my press pass is still valid … maybe I need to go back and have another go. In the meantime keep an eye out for Paul’s Zoom Zoom Challenge video, coming soon as part of our wall to wall motor show coverage! Dan Zoom Zoom Challenge leaderboard
26 luglio Motor Show: Reflections on week 1Tom Evans writes: Well, it’s coming to the end of the first week and for us here at MSN Cars, the bulk of the hard leg-work of coverage is mostly behind us. However, the show runs until Sunday August 3 so we will still be reporting on goings on there. So what have we learnt? Well, that as ever covering motor shows is quite a lot of work! All 25 of us were crammed into a smallish room crammed with computers, cameras, editing equipment, tangles of cables and various other paraphernalia. But it all kind of worked, and my thanks to all of our team who made it happen. I and most of my colleagues got about 10 hours sleep total in 3 days so we have some catching up to do… And it was nice when we came to the end of our onsite coverage, enjoying a cool drink. Here video presenter Zora Suleman (left) joins our US intern Kaylin Krashesky – a CMS warrior if ever there was one – and writer Dan Trent, enjoying some nice chips at the Fox bar just outside ExCel:
But to business. Firstly, the Insignia is a great looking car, and no, I’m not just saying that because our coverage was sponsored by you know who. There was one red Insignia, under cover with every delicate lighting which made it look like a concept car, and I just love those curvy front lights:
The exterior is good, but the interior is a revelation. GM interiors have not always been the best, feeling that they have been far too influenced by US standards, where interiors are sculpted by frankly very different tastes against Europeans, where the standards are set by the posh German makers and, to an extent, the high end British stuff from Bentley et al. But the GM Europe boys have done very well here, with solid plastics, dependably clunky switch-gear, sold gear change and a generally very premium feel. I could easily have been in an Audi. There are niggles though; it is a car – like so many today – where colour and wheels are vital. Take a look at this gorgeous Opel variant with its lovely big wheels, available from from our wallpaper page. But in lighter colours and more mundane wheels it is less successful. So while we think Insignia is good, once the roads become full of motorway rep specials we may think differently; that after all is the fate of the newish Ford Mondeo, which is already starting to look old, not least because of its ubiquity at mundane trim levels. We’re all very much looking forward to driving it, and that’s not something that was said overmuch about the Vectra, even at the start…
Still, the Duke of Kent seems to like it:
But as ever, in the lower more mundane trims it looks considerably more workaday than the lovely Verve concept car. Honourable mentions must go to:
4. The public. They seem to have been flocking to the show in droves, and bravo to them. If the show doesn’t work this time, it might not be back in 2010, so everyone in the UK motor industry should be grateful they made the effort. And there was a tremendous buzz around the place, even on weekdays when you think most would be at work. Clearly many took the day or afternoon off and came down. 5. The organisers. It’s a whole lot of work putting the event together and there are millions of things that can go wrong. 6. The weather. Fine, and not raining – but not a heatwave either as in 2006, which may well have put people off. In short, so far, the weather has been as perfect for getting the crowds in as could be asked for.
Dishonourable mentions: 1. The car companies that didn't turn up. In no particular order: Given the vast numbers of cars that VW and Audi sell in the UK every year, this was a disappointment, and you could tell a number of attendees were surprised at not being able to check out exciting new motors like the Audi R8, A5, and VW Passat CC. Well done on stablemates Bentley and SEAT for creeping in under the radar though. Nice to see Mini there, but why no BMW? It makes tons of money here, and alone among car makers is seeing sales hold up because of their very economical diesel engines. BMW is probably the most popular car brand in the UK, and they have a good story to tell. Volvo didn’t make it, even though Ford did. Volvo is a classic middle-class-family motor show brand. Aston Martin, who are British for gawds sakes! Ditto Rolls-Royce. Chrysler, who I will vaguely let off since it is not overly encumbered by deep pockets right now. Fiat – they have a revitalised range now and their brand has been greatly revived by the 500. It should be here to show off its return to form. 2. The 40 or so people (we counted them) who knocked on our office door thinking we were the organisers demanding among other things: - A refund on their parking fees. - Help finding their lost 18-year-old son (do mobiles no longer exist?). - Help fixing the electricity supply on their stand. - A VIP lounge – “I won this ticket in a competition and where is the champagne and the canapés.” - Free tickets for their mates – “you did it for me last time.” - That the organisers advertise better the location of the show, since a lot of people still think its in Earls Court, where it hasn’t taken place since 1999. All despite our signs to the contrary:
3. The journalists that turn up on press day, press the flesh, quaff a few free drinks and nosh, cast a cynical eye on goings on, and leave again by 4pm. …Having had no contact whatsoever with the general public (save for the very few brave people who coughed up £100 a head to be there) and thus unable to gauge the reaction of the people who really matter – those who spend their hard-earned money on buying the cars that ultimately keep the car industry going, and dare I say it journalists in jobs. So well done to Andrew Charman (freelance) and Tim Bowdler (Editor of 4 Car) among others who were still seen – alongside us – to be knocking around the event on Day 3 long after many of our compatriots had cleared off to the next junket. The British motor Show 2008 is a great event and I urge those of you who can to come down and pay the show a visit; I guarantee you will enjoy it. Tom
25 luglio Harewood hillclimb in the new Grande Punto AbarthPeter Burgess writes from the Fiat Grande Punto Abarth launch:
You can’t beat the roads of Yorkshire for testing out a new hot hatchback, but throw in great weather and the chance to take a car up the world famous Harewood hillclimb and it’s a day to savour. I set off at 9am this morning in a white Grande Punto Abarth from Harrogate for a blast via Otley, Pateley Bridge and West Tanfield on a very roundabout route to Harewood. The Abarth may have ‘just’ 152bhp, which sounds distinctly average next to the 207s, Corsa and Clios, but it’s all very accessible when you tread on the throttle and the turbocharger does its business. You’ll get the full SP next Monday in our full first drive of the car.
But it’s hard to hold back on the Harewood experience. The hillclimb has been there for decades, but recently extended to actually start on a downhill section before winding its tortuous way through tight hairpins and between farm buildings to the very top. The Punto tackles it with confidence, and even though you can’t switch off the ESP stability system, it’s very soft in its application. Drive the hill right and the Punto simply hunkers down, the tyres grip hard and it turns in sharply.
The steering isn’t the best, without much feel even though there is plenty of weight, but you get used to it. Harewood was also the only chance to try the Grande Punto Abarth with the Esseesse pack which adds 30bhp, some lovely white alloys and a set of suspension and brake mods. It’s noticeably faster up the hill, as it should be for another £3.5k, but the experience was over before I knew it, so final judgement on that will have to wait.
Finally, did you know that the Esseesse tuning pack is shipped over from Italy in special Abarth wooden crates for the dealers to fit to your car? Incredible. Peter --- Links: A very quick drive in the Audi TTS
Best in show - Dan's vote!Pics by Matt Farrington-Smith Dan Trent writes: OK, here's the verdict you've really been waiting for. I'd like to think. Now camping out in the boot is one way of making sure you are first in queue for a drive but here I am in the Renault Megane R26.R, the super hardcore take on the R26 - already one of my favourite cars as it stands. There are lots of impressive stats but for me the £22,960 pricetag is one of the most impressive - amazing considering the car's potential.
Another favourite of mine is this - the Aspid. The first time I walked past it I gave it a quick glance and thought 'eugh!' but CJ convinced me to take a second look after getting very excited by the double disc brake system. Yes, we really are that geeky... Anyway, once the shock of the looks subsided I started delving deeper and the combination of Caterham performance and dynamics, amazing build quality and astonishing technology had me stunned. And then I heard about the sub-3sec 0-62 time.
Check out the interior too and the neat F1 style steering wheel with all the controls and dials incorporated into one unit. And if you go to a track you can even download telemetry from a previous lap by a pro driver and it will flash up braking points on the steering wheel for you. Seriously cool. As is the air suspension system, supercharged Honda engine, wing-like doors - OK, I'll shut up now.
Then the Lotus Evora. I'm still not totally sold on the looks but after spending a bit more time on the Lotus stand and chatting with a super keen product guy I'm coming round to it. And whatever you think about the outside just look at the interior. Now that's unlike any Lotus that's gone before. I'm hoping that from behind the wheel it lives up to the promise - I can't wait to find out. Farbio is another car I've got a bit of a soft spot for, this white supercharged GTS looking especially beguiling. And it seems my inclusion of Farbio boss Chris Marsh in an earlier blog has been getting him some attention too. Sorry Chris! So there you go. A bit of a speed freak's guide to the show but you can read about the green cars elsewhere on the site! Dan
24 luglio ECOnetic air conditioning day dreamsRIchard Aucock writes:
Looking more closely at the new Ford Fiesta information, something’s surprised us. The ECOnetic, that’s grabbing all the headlines? Well, its £11.845 list price is just attractive as its superb styling. Just one thing. That’s without air con.
A/C is, apparently, a £500 option on the ultra-eco Fiesta – taking it up to £12,345. Which is, as you no doubt know, a fair chunk more than our SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive long-termer. Not a problem – the Fiesta is a much more modern, stylish car than the ageing Ibiza, and its punchy 1.6-litre diesel is likely to be nicer to use, as well. But, we’re intrigued.
See, when the VW Polo Bluemotion was launched, only the model without air con got the famed 99g/km CO2 figure. Models with a/c pushed up to 104g/km – meaning they lost the advantage of free road tax. Somehow (nobody’s still quite sure how), Volkswagen has corrected this anomaly, meaning all Bluemotions now qualify for sub-100g/km status. But has Ford learnt the same trick? Will must-have a/c nudge it up over the 100g/km mark? We’re intrigued, on the case, and finding out as we speak…
Oh, and just one more note. The ECOnetic is the first ultra-small eco car to get a gearshift indicator. Apparently, coupled with the trip computer, Ford’s measured really tangible benefits from drivers equipped with this tech. And the shift lights really are best-advice meters, rather than just cynical rpm-based, fun-stopping gearshift reminders. The man who designed it told us so… therefore, do as it says, for best eco gains! --- Links: British International Motor Show complete coverage On order: Seat Ibiza Ecomotive
Very quick drive in an Audi TTSPeter Burgess writes:
We had an Audi TTS delivered to the office yesterday and being such a beautiful evening I pulled rank and grabbed it overnight. As the picture shows, it’s stunning in this vibrant blue – and it’s equally stunning to drive. With the 2-litre turbo uprated from 200PS in the regular TT to 272PS, there’s everything to like. A quattro chassis makes its appearance in the 2-litre TT for the first time, and the engine/drive train combination is simply awe-inspiring. There’s a pleasing, more meaningful burble to the exhaust system, but what really hits home is the torque. As soon as the engine is on the boil – 2,000rpm upwards – there is such a solid slug of acceleration that it’s pretty pointless taking it anywhere near the read line. Change up at 5,000rpm and there’s another punch in the kidneys a clutch pedal away. Couple all this to never ending levels of grip and it’s hard to imagine much that will topple this TTS on a typical British road trip. But then CJ asked me to guess the price. £30k-ish? Not a chance. The base price is almost £35K and this car is £41k with all the bits. Audi does take the p**s unashamedly. How about £385 for mobile phone preparation. Why isn’t Bluetooth standard? It is on a £130 Sony cd/radio/USB head from Halfords? Boxster S anyone? I am off now to drive the new Fiat Grande Punto Abarth. I am pretty excited about the rejuvenation of the Abarth brand, and hope it pushes Fiat up with BMW and its Cooper derivatives of the Mini. I am driving to Harrogate in a Citroën C5 Tourer diesel, and my plan is to cover the 200 miles at strictly legal motorway speeds to see what economy I can eke out of it. Peter --- Links: For a fast take away try the Corsa VXR 888
Hyundai does the splitsRichard Aucock writes: Well, I’ll be. There’s me, sat in the back of a centrally-hinged Hyundai. Yes, a centrally-hinged Hyundai, that’s been chopped in half. Here is the company’s novel way of demonstrating the i30’s iPod compatibility – and you, dear reader, can get to sit where I sat, too!
The Hyundai PR man told us the idea came from wanting to get a real-life working dashboard, to show how easy it was to plug in iPods and MP3 players. “The plan was to use a pre-production car – these, by law, have to be sent to the crusher, anyway. Then, I thought, why not use the whole front end of the car – how cool would that be? And then, I reckoned, if we were chopping it in half, why not use the other half, too..?”
That’s how it came about; after the Motor Show, Hyundai plans to use it as a dealer demo, too. “The thing is, it still drives.” No! “Yes – there’s a plate in the floor that covers a bolt. Hook it all up, and it goes, under its own steam. Mind you, it does flex a bit more than standard…”
--- Planning it all outRichard Aucock writes: As one Motor Show day ends, another one begins. Just before we were kicked out of the halls, we spotted these guys on the Ford stand, crowding round a colourful piece of paper. What were they looking at? Why, the show floor layout plan, turning the Ford stand from a journo’s paradise into… today’s fleet show special.
Sorry for the blurry image, but I really couldn’t get any closer. Nevertheless, hope it shows the sheer level of intricate planning that goes into everything that you see on the show stands. If it’s there, it’s there for a reason…
--- 23 luglio Car fans flock to the motor show
Dan Trent writes: After two days in our air conditioned retreat at the British International Motor Show ExCeL is starting to feel like a home from home. And while the relative peace and quiet of the press day on Tuesday was handy for getting round the cars and catching up on the industry goss, now the show is open to the public the atmosphere is really building. And this isn't even the first proper public day - tickets for today's 'VIP preview day' costing quite a bit more.
It's not hard to see which stands are causing all the fuss either. Nissan's GT-R has a constant throng around it, the adjacent simulators the closest most showgoers are going to get to driving the thing - even those who've actually paid a deposit. Patriotic pride seems to be sending a lot of people Jaguar's way too.
The Ford stand is also getting the crowds too, the Fiesta proving very popular and the dramatic Focus RS drawing lots of star struck fast Ford fans. Alfa Romeo's stand is also very well attended, though we suspect it's not just the cars proving popular here...
We'll be expecting another surge soon too, as workers from nearby Canary Wharf - and central London itself - hop on the DLR and take advantage of the cheap 'after work' ticket price of just £5. With the doors open til 9pm there's no reason not to! Dan
Can you beat our Zoom Zoom challenge time?
Dan Trent writes: Greetings again from the motor show! And a challenge for anyone else heading down: I've escaped our busy event mission control and been down to the Mazda Zoom Zoom challenge. Anyone who came two years ago will know the format - jump in a Mazda, try and set the fastest time possible around a tight little course without incurring any time penalties for crossing white lines or cutting corners and the best time wins a car for a year. Cool!
Your time isn't the only thing you're judged on though. You're also given points for your 'Zoom Zoom attitude' whatever that might be...
So after a short wait in the sunshine I got my one sighting laps and two timed laps, one in an MX-5 and one in a Mazda 2. And they went OK, with a 20:57 in the MX-5 and 21:07 in the 2. But the big question is, can you do better?
Head on down to the Zoom Zoom challenge, have go for yourself and let us know how you get on. The gauntlet is thrown! Dan MSN Cars' motor show mission control
22 luglio Lots Of Talk, Unexpectedly Subdued
Dan Trent writes: Well, the press conference for the unveiling of the first all-new Lotus in 13 years was certainly one of the best attended thus far. But the response has been … a little subdued. It didn’t get off to a great start, everyone standing round in awkward silence after a big build up and hearing a hissed “push the big red button…” from backstage before the covers actually came off. Oops. And when the sheet finally pulled back the response was less ‘Ooooh!’ than ‘Hmmm…’ This was repeated when the car’s official name was announced as, wait for it, um, hang on … I seem to have forgotten. Oh yes, the clearly memorable ‘Evora’. Consensus seems to be they should have stuck with the working title of Project Eagle. Further scepticism greeted the boast that this really is a 2+2. 2+2 what exactly? Not fully grown people, that’s for sure. When we’re allowed closer access to the, um … oh yes, Evora … we’ll be able to make a better assessment but it looks like rear seat accommodation will be distinctly cosy.
Scanning the crowd I spotted one man taking more interest than most in the new Lotus – Farbio boss Chris Marsh (apologies for the fuzzy photo). Given that the Evora (yes!) has a comparable spec (namely, a transverse V6 engine) as the Farbio GTS and be similarly priced too you can be sure he’ll be scrutinising it closely. Of course, the Farbio is already on sale and Marsh is showing a new supercharged version at the show so probably isn’t too worried. Yet. The proof will be in the driving of course and we’ll look forward to getting behind the wheel of the Evora as soon as possible. Away from the motor show hype and out on the open road the car’s 300bhp Toyota V6 is sure to more than compensate for any doubts about the styling… And we’re assured the braking is out of this world too.
One more thing – all the talk of lightweight minimalism clearly didn’t weigh heavily on the mind of whoever recruited the show girls on the Lotus stand. It’s not quite TVR with its naked ladies from back in the Dan Farbio GTS video Closer to Insignia...Getting a closer look at Insignia on the Vauxhall stand wasn’t hard, as they seem to have hundreds of them. My goodness, it’s a real wow car. Impressively ‘different’ to look at, the much-chatted about side feature line is cool, but what’s most outstanding for me is the slinky rear. It’s got curves and profile, this car: I even ventured to CJ during the press conference that I prefer the saloon to the hatch…
What’s great to see, though, is that base models are no less impressive than all the top spec ones that litter the press material. Tucked around the back of the stand was this, a run of the mill Exclusiv Nav model. The sort of thing thousands of fleet drivers will soon be blipping the flipper key of at service stations around the country.
Pretty tidy, huh? Even better, the interior is just as sparkly as the top-end cars, which isn’t something that’s always the case. All the buttons, all the displays, all the flashier details – they’re present and correct. And if you’re thinking, ah, but it has sat nav as standard – how representative is that?, rest assured. The vast majority of them will do – because I reckon Exclusiv Nav models will follow current logic and minimise the premium for sat nav to around £600 or so. Making it a fleet-list cert.
Just one thing. Getting into the back, I didn’t quite find the Mondeo-challenging space I was promised – legroom isn’t as scarily vast as in the Ford. What’s more, leaning back, my head touched the rooflining – in both saloon and hatch. As this is a gripe of the current car, I’m mischievously wagering Vauxhall’s test drivers are just that bit shorter than me… but it’s still a bit of a surprise, even if the pay-off is that deliciously plunging, curvaceous C-pillar feature. We’ll see when we get it outdoors. Oh, and another one: not sure that this car will be making it all that far off the stand…
--- Live from the show floorcj hubbard writes from the British International Motor Show: Right, well we're here. The British International Motor Show is go, and we're right in the thick of it.
Our home for the show is a tiny room at the back of one of the halls, crammed with so many people and so much technical equipment we're all going to be crispy fried microwave victims by the end of the day. Or something. Anyways, the really big launch of the show has already happened - the Vauxhall/Opel Insignia. You can read our first impressions here. But the thing you need to know immediately is forget how good it looks in the pictures - it looks even better in the metal. This is a seriously good looking Of course, with a big launch you need to be there early. If you're not all you see is the backs of heads and cameras. Tom clearly needs to run a bit faster...
This groovy looking red thing, incidentally, is the new Chevy Camaro. Apparently it isn't retro.
All the details on this - and everything else - soon... --- Links:
Focus RS first lookcj hubbard writes: So, the British International Motor Show kicks off today. But actually the action really started yesterday. We'll tell you about Vauxhall's Insignia spaceship later, for the thing that really got Dan and I going last night was the pre-show unveil of the Ford Focus RS.
Excitingly – no, really – this took place at the Ford Heritage Centre at the Dagenham plant in Essex. Basically, it's where Ford stores and fettles its heritage fleet. Most of which were standing on the pavement when we arrived, since the space inside the building had been commandeered for the reveal. The selection of cars was just amazing.
Fortunately the RS is more than able to hold its own, no matter the line up of classic and/or special machinery. It looks absolutely magic. Aggressive, lean – but properly honed, rather than just patterned with cosmetic frippery. The rear diffuser, for example, looks like it will really diffuse. And as for the spoiler: seriously WRC. Great colour, too. A modern reinterpretation of Le Mans Green, the shade that the very first Ford RS debuted in, Ford says it will offer it for real as long as press and public reaction is strong enough. As far as the press goes, it's a given.
300 horses, not to mention 325lb ft of torque, through the front wheels continues to raise eyebrows, however. Quite how the engineers have achieved this and traction, Ford isn't saying in detail yet. But it involves something called a “revo knuckle” – which is some kind of 'revolutionary' suspension design – and a Quaife limited slip diff. All very intriguing. Basically we cannot wait to try it, but until then remain understandably skeptical. No news about how the engine makes all that power yet, either, nor pricing. But it will be affordable, it will do 0-62mph in under six seconds, and it will be the most potent hot hatch that's ever lived. And don't forget you can come and see it yourself – just pop down to ExCel before August 3. --- Links:
21 luglio For a fast take away try the Corsa VXR 888cj hubbard writes:
The 189bhp Vauxhall Corsa VXR clearly isn't mad enough already, so Luton handed it over to Triple Eight Race Engineering. Who were then kind enough to hand it back with an extra 36bhp. That's 225bhp in a supermini hot hatch displacing just 1.6-litres. Yowzer. Disappointingly, the only obvious visual difference between this VXR 888 and the standard car are the somewhat Halfords' looking black alloys. But even those are optional. One little 888 badge would do the trick... Because that way, at least people would get some clue you're driving something a little bit special. Rather than just incredibly loud. Anyways, I'll save the rest for the road test and get to the point. Inside the Corsa VXR (standard or otherwise) you will find a lovely set of Recaro shellbacks - similar to the £850 extras in Dan's Clio Cup. Similar, but not the same. On the outer side of each seat there's a little prong thing. Ostensibly we believe this is a seatbelt clasp, to save you dislocating an arm reaching all the way back to the belt's dormant position. But, as I discovered last night, it also doubles as a handy take away hook. The things you can do with Recaro seats, eh? And trust me: the curry had no time at all to get cold.
--- Links: Are Porsches all they're cracked up to be? First Drive: Vauxhall Corsa VXR
18 luglio Secret Peugeots discoveredRichard Aucock writes... It was like something from Get Carter. There I was, in a French MPV, being driven at breakneck speed by a Frenchman up the access ramps of a deserted concrete monolith. Buried deep within the building, nobody would have a clue I was there. He didn’t speak English, I can’t speak French, so I was completely lost as to what was going on. Well, I thought, maybe this will indeed be the launch to end all launches.
Eventually, we stopped. I got out. To stand in front of a sliding metal door into a dusty black concrete cave. Half expecting a gun in the back, I shuffled in of my own accord. ‘Knuckles’ stayed outside, polishing his shooter, or something. Then, a smiling face appeared. Someone else for the chop, and thus deranged? No, the Peugeot PR man. Surely they wouldn’t do one of their own?
“Come on through” he said. Checking to see if he still had all his fingers, I obediently obliged, while staring, Larry David-style, into his eyes. As I did so, my own readjusted to the dark. Who did I see? Cliff Brumby? No, hundred and hundreds of cars. Oh, goodness.
I was safe. I was also in Peugeot’s secret, never-seen-by-the-public ‘reserve’. Even Christian Peugeot himself admitted that, until a few weeks ago, he didn’t know it existed. So what is it? Basically, Peugeot’s treasure trove of old cars.
For the next half-hour, my jaw dragged along the floor. It was just bewildering. There, before my eyes, were never-made concepts. Most of the ex-motor show cars that had dazzled me a few years before. Even super-significant slices of history, such as the first Peugeot diesel. The first Peugeot 4x4. The first Peugeot electric car.
The concepts for the 206, the 207, the 307, the 1007 and the 807 were there, as was a never-made, for-America 504 Coupe and drop-top, and a 104 saloon. There was a 309 GTI with the MI16 engine, most of the Paris-Dakar and Pikes Peak cars, even the homologation special show car that made the 206 legal to enter the WRC. Just… incredible.
What made it all the more special was that the pace was a mess. Most cars were covered in dust. Lighting was but a few strip lights, illuminating crumbling concrete and a floor awash with debris and oil. Peugeot’s found a swish new home for these cars, but for years, they have lived in the murk of this forgotten corner of the 308 factory.
The cars there must number three figures. Most are one-offs, all are significant slices of history. And, for a few minutes, I was able to poke about them with complete freedom. Until the time was up, the lights turned off and the area padlocked back into quiet desolation. It was fittingly historical and bewilderingly oddball. Sorry about the grainy pictures, but believe me, I couldn’t see that much more. Nevertheless, it’s still something you’re never likely to see again.
By September, it will be gone for good. ---
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